.Ask Ministers to make adequate plans for post oil economy post COVID-19
From Jonas Ezieke, Abuja
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Arms and Ammunitions Purchase has summoned the Chief of Army Staff Major-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and the Governor Central Bank of Nigeria CBN Mr Godwin Emefiele over the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for arms and ammunitions purchase by the military.
This followed the absence of the COAS and the CBN boss at the rescheduled investigative hearing of the Committee on Monday in the National Assembly in which the COAS, CBN Governor an other heads of security agencies are billed to appear.
However, after waiting endlessly for over three hours for these top government officials to appear for the probe, the Ad-hoc Committee took the decision to summon them to appear unfailingly on Wednesday April 7, 2021.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee Hon.Olaide Akinremi issued the summon following a motion moved by a member of the Committee Hon.Bede Uchenna Eke who infuriated by the absence of the two invited officials told the committee that it is time to take a hard stand on the matter.
He told the committee that the absence of the two top officials to the committee is unacceptable and added that if they think they can do this and get away with it, then it is an insult to the parliament.
He added that the COAS and the CBN Governor should be summoned immediately by the Ad-hoc Committee to show that they are serious with the investigation.
Another member of the probe panel Hon. Samson Okwu (Benue, PDP) who added his voice to the motion told the committee chairman that the COAS cannot be seen as a new person in the office as government is a continuum.
Moreover Hon Taiwo Oluga (Osun, APC) said that the CBN as an institution had repeatedly shunned the invitation of the House on many issues adding that it should respect the institution.
Consequently when the Chairman of the probe panel put the motion to a voice vote, it was overwhelming voted for by the lawmakers in the Ad-hoc Committee.
. Ask Ministers to make adequate plans for post oil economy post COVID-19
The House of Representatives on Monday urged the Minister of Finance Budget Dr Mrs Zainab Ahmed and her National Planning countrpart Mr Clem Agba to make long term adequate planning for a post oil economy in Nigeria.
Speaker of the House, Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila, Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning Hon.Dr Abdulganiyu Olododo and members of the committee made the appeal to the Ministers at a one day public hearing organised by the Committee.
The hearing is entitled, “Need for Nigeria to Develop a Long Term Social and Economic Development Framework Vision and Need to Make Adequate Plans for a Post Oil Economy in Nigeria”.
Speaker of the House Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila said the nation’s economic managers must come up with realistic measures to address the numerous economics challenges facing the nation.
Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader Hon.Toby Okechukwu, he said the that the potential economic outlook of the country is what is manifesting in various security crisis presently in many states of the federation.
According to the lawmakers, the persistent downward trend in the prices of oil in the international market gives room for the nation’s leaders to fashion realitic economic frameworks to address these issues.
He said, ” the era of oil us over. The world is fast pacing towards a knowledge economy and market place of ideas”.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee Hon.Dr.Abdulganiyu Olododo said that the current economic situation has made the need for sustainable economic planning a sine qua non for the nation.
The Minister of State for National Planning Mr Clem Agba however said that the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has set some plans targeted at unleashing the economic potentials of the country.
He further hinted that the Ministry had started a sustainable development plan for reviving the economy inspite of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country..
He also argued that the non diversification is not the the major challenge of the economy as many sectors are currently diversified and contributing substantially to the Gross Domestic Product GDP of the country.
He added that what is the current position is that the oil sector is not diversified adding that for growth to impact development meaningfully, there must be reduction of unemployment
Other invited stakeholders such as the National Council for Women Society NCWS and some non governmental organisation lamented the exclusion of women and lack of data for proper planning and unskilled human capita as the major bane of the underdevelopment of the nation.
